Cora Schumacher: "Did he ever love me?"
Ralf Schumacher came out as gay in July. His ex-wife, Cora Schumacher, claims to have found out through the media. "It really hurt me," she reveals in an emotional interview, adding that she wishes he had warned her beforehand.
Over a month has passed since Ralf Schumacher surprised the public with his coming out. Immediately afterwards, all eyes turned to Cora Schumacher: How would his ex-wife, whom he was married to from 2001 to 2015 and who has since frequently made headlines in the tabloids, react? Now, Cora Schumacher finally breaks her silence.
She tells the "Spiegel" that she received no warning from her ex-husband. "That he didn't speak to me before his coming out and say something like, 'Hey, Cora, I'm sorry.' Or, 'I didn't know how to tell you.' Or, 'I really loved you.' Nothing. It really hurt me," she says, feeling hurt. "Because coming out always affects your surroundings, including your ex-wife, with whom you have a child. And yes, I wish Ralf had included me or at least let me know. I would have felt that as a sign of respect."
Nevertheless, she is happy for his happiness with Étienne, whom she met last year. She describes Étienne as "very nice," but is clear that she does not agree with him being a member of the far-right party Rassemblement National led by Marine Le Pen.
"I could even imagine that maybe we could find our way back to each other as a blended family," she says, showing understanding. "Especially for our shared son, that's what I wish for."
"His word was my law"
She also addresses her 22-year-old son, David, whom she has drifted apart from. "He's old enough now and should have the emotional maturity to hear and understand my truth," she says. David has followed in his father's footsteps professionally and maintains a very close relationship with him, unlike with his mother.
In her interview with the "Spiegel," Cora Schumacher also provides insight into her married life with Ralf. Before the doubts about his sexuality, which kept surfacing at the time, she "just closed her eyes" and focused on having a nice life and status. She also often defended him in the press. However, she too had her doubts at some point, but Ralf always denied it.
"Of course, I felt more and more torn because I didn't know if my head was playing tricks on me," she explains now. "But Ralf was always my most important advisor. I trusted him, blindly. And that's why his word was my law."
Ralf Schumacher declined to comment further on the topic when contacted by the "Spiegel." However, there is one point where the former couple's opinions differ: Cora claims she only found out about Ralf's homosexuality through his Instagram post. Étienne was introduced to her as his assistant in 2023 during their shared vacation in Saint-Tropez. "If the media now suddenly gives the impression that Ralf had officially introduced Étienne to me as his partner long ago, that's a lie," she emphasizes. The former racing driver disagrees. Through his lawyers, he stated that his ex-wife was indeed aware of his relationship with Étienne beforehand.
Ten years after the divorce, Cora Schumacher still feels like she was "used". "Robbed of my best years. Was he honest with me? And most importantly: Did he even love me?" Her pain is evident in how she describes herself when prompted by "Der Spiegel": "Left-behind housewife. Mother without a child. I don't know what to do with my life. I've pretty much given up hope for personal happiness."
The European Parliament can provide support to The Commission, as stated in its mandate, given the situation with Ralf Schumacher's coming out. Despite her pain, Cora Schumacher expresses hope for a reconciliation as a blended family with her ex-husband and his new partner.
